HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  April  4.  18G3.— Read  first 
and    second   times,  ordered  to  be  printed  and  made  special  order  for 

j\Ionday,  and  continuing  special  order  until  completed. 

[Mr.  Heiskktx,  from  -Tudiciary  Committee.] 


J^   BILL 

To  be  entitled  An  Act  to'provide  for  holding  elections  for  Representa- 
tives in  the  Congress  of  the  Confederate  States,  in  States  oc3upicd 
Jiy  the  forces  of  the  enemy. 

.1         Section'  1.   The   Congress  of  the  Oonfedemte  Stales  of  America  do 

2  enact,  That,    in  the    States  of    Kentucky,  Louisiana,  Missouri, 

3  Virginia  and  Tennessee,  and  in  any  other  States  in  which  more 

4  than  one-third  of  the  number  of  Congressional  Districts,  or  a 
o  majority  of  the  counties  composing  such  districts  respectively 
G     are,  at  this  time,  within  tht3  linds  of  the  public  enemy,  or  occu- 

7  pied  and  held  by  them,  or  in   Avhich  the  Governor  thereof,  by 

8  proclamation,  shall  hereafter  declare  tiiat  more  than  one-third  of 

9  such  districts  or  a  majority  of  the  counties  composing  such  dis- 

10  tricts  are  so  held,  at  a  time  preceding  an  election  for  Representa- 

1 1  tives  in  the  Congress  of  the  Confederate  States,  and  not  exceed- 

12  ing  sixty  days,  nor  less  than  forty  days,  before  the  same;  such 


13  elections  for  Representatives  shall  be  by  general  ticket  for  such 

1  1  f^t-itc?.  nn'l   each  voter  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  one  ticket  con- 

1j  i:;;:;;:;;^   ur'  ji;iu:l*3  of  nne  pcrsou  from  clch  Congressional  dis- 

10  trict  in  such  State  ;  and  the  'persons  in  each   district,  receiving 

1 7  the  greatest  number  of  votes  of  the  wholi  vote  of  the  State  shall  be 

IS  commissioned  as  Representative  l>y  the  Governor  of  sucli  State. 

1  Sec*  3.  Such  elections  shall  be  held  in  all  State?,  Avherein  no 

2  provision  exists  by  law  fixing  the  time  for  holding  the  same  on 
:)  the  first  Wednesday  in  November  next,  and  in  each  second  year 
•1  thereafter  durng  the  Avar. 

1  Sec.  0.   Such  elections  shall  be  so  held  by  the  officers,  author- 

2  ities  or  persons,  appointed  or  provided  by  the  laws  of  the  several 
.'"5  States  for  the  purpose  of  holding  such  elections  and  at  the  places 
4  so  provided,  or,  if  no  provision  has  been  made  or  shall  be  made 
Tj-  th(  rcfor,  then  by  the  State  authority,  officers  or  persons,  who 
V)  at  the  time  are  authorized  to  hold  elections  for  members  of  the 
7  most  numerous  1)rrnch  of  the  State  Legislature. 

1  Sf.c.   4.   Such  elections',  shall  be  conducted  according  to  the 

2  mode   prescribed  l)y  the  laws  of  the  several  States  except  so  far 

3  ai  tlic  same  arc  modified  by  this  act. 

1  Sec.  6.  In   such  elections  every  citizen    of  the    Confederate 

2  States,  who  has  not  forfeited  his  citizenship  by  electing  to  ad- 

3  here  to  the  government  of  the  United  States,  who  shall  be  quali- 

4  fied  to  vote  for  a  member  of  the  most  numerous  branch  of  the 


1^1^. 


3  c^j 

5  State    Legislature  of  tho  State  ^vllcrei;l  ho   resiJcs,  shall  be  en- 

(i  titled  vote  at  the  place  or  places  m  his  S'aie.  at  v.bicli  ho  '^^•ouM 

7  bo  entitled  to  vole  in  an  election  for  sueh  menibei'  of  such  Legis- 

8  lature. 

1  Sec.  G.   iJiit  in  case  such  citizen  shall  be  in  the    military    ser- 

2  vice  of  the  Confederate  States,  cr  in  case  he  shall  bc"^drivcn  from 

3  his  home  by  the  occupation  of  his  counli-y   by  the  public  enemy, 

4  or  by  t]\e  movements  of  his  troop?,  or  in  case   the  elections  can- 

5  not  be  held  at  the  usual  places  of  holding  the  same,  by  reason  of 

6  such  occupation  or  movements,  then  such  citizen  shall  be  allowed 

7  to  vote  at  any  place  of  voting  in  such  State,  or    in  the    camps  of 

8  the  army,  as  provided  for  by  the  laws  of  such  State,  or  as  hcrc- 

9  inafter  provided. 

1  Sec.  7.  In  every  such  case,  if    the    State   governments   have 

2  failed  to  provide  for  elections  to  be    held   in    the    camps    of    the 

3  army,  such  elections  for  Representatives^shall  be  held  therein  as 

4  follows  :     In  every  army  corps,  division  or  command,  the  colonel 

5  of  each  regiment,  or  other  officer  in    command   thereof,    or    the 

6  officer  in  command  of  any  less  body  on   detached   service,    shall 

7  appoint  two  judges  and  three  clerks  to  open  and  hold  such    elcc- 

8  tiqn,  who  shall   hold  the  same,  and  make  out  the   poll-books  and 

9  returns,  under  the  same  rules  and   regulations  as   if    the    same 
lU  were  opened  and  held  at  the  usual  place  of  holding  the    same   in 


4 

11  the  State  from  Avliicli  sucii  regiment  or  command  carac,  and  shall 

12  allow  all  persons  entitled  to  vote  therein. 

1  Sec,  S.  The  returns  of  such  elections  in    camps,  shall   be  for- 

2  warded  by  the  several  commanding  officers,  appointing  the  judges 

3  and  clerks  a-,  aroresaid,  to  the  highest  oiTicer   in   grade,  and  the 

4  senior  of  the  grade  from  the  State  for  which  the  same  is  held  in 
6  the  encampment  or  army  in  which  the  same  is   held,  v^hose  duty 

6  it  shall  be  at  once  to  forward  the  same   to  the    Governor    of    the 

7  State  ;   or  the  came  may  be,    if  more   convenient,    forwarded   by 

8  such  commanding  officer  directly  to  the  Governor. 

1  Sec.  9.  In  case  the  exigencies  of  the   public    service   prevent 

2  the  holding  of  the  elections  in  any  camp,  under  this  act  or  under 

5  any  State  lavr  passed  for  that  purpose  at    the    time    provided   by 

4  law,  the  same  may  be  held  at  any  time  within   ten  days  after  the 

5  preventing  cause  may  cease;  the  time  for  holding  the  same  to  be 

6  fixed  by  the  officer  authorized  to  appoint  the  judges  and   clerks. 

1  Sec.  Hi.  Such  officer  shall   be    authorii^ed    to    administer   the 

2  proper  oaths  to  the  judges  and  clerks,  or   they  may   administer 

3  the  same  to  each  other. 

1  Sec.  11.  Every  person  concerned  in  holding  such    election  in 

S  any  State  or  camp,  shall  take  an  oath  to  support  the  Constitution 

S  of  the  Confederate  States,  and  to  discharge  his  duty  in   holding 

4  such  election  faithfully  and  impartially. 

1  Sec.  12.  In  the  event  that  any  such    State   has,  by  law,  pro- 


5 

2  vidcd   for  holding  such  election   under  the    circumstances  herein 

3  specified,  either  by  temporary  act,  Avhich   has  expired,  or  by  acts 

4  now  in  force,  such  election  shall  be  held  according    to    the    pro- 

5  visions  of  such  temporary  or  permanent  act. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2010  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/billtobeentitledeleOOconf 


